The present invention pertains generally to wagering games, and more particularly to a wagering game between players using 30 numerical playing pieces. The object of the game is to form the highest ranking two playing piece hand.
Mah Jongg (Majong) is a game of Chinese origin which is played with a set of playing tiles which are engraved or painted with designs and numerals. A full set contains 152 playing pieces which are divided into seven suits. American Majong sets usually have 166 tiles. The game is usually played by four people which take the name and position of one of the four winds; North, East, South, and West.
Pai Gow Chinese Dominoes is a derivative of Majong which is played in gaming Casinos, and is a predecessor of the modern games of Chemin de Fer, Baccarat, and Blackjack. The game uses a set of 32 tiles or dominoes. In one embodiment of the game the bank can either reside with the participating house dealer or with one of the players. The house dealer always banks the first hand. After the first hand, the house dealer will sequentially offer the bank to each of the players in a counterclockwise direction until (1) a player accepts the bank, or (2) no player accepts the bank and it reverts back to the house dealer. The house collects a 5% commission on all winning bets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,595 discloses a method of playing a wagering game wherein wagers are apportioned between a plurality of game players and a player-banker. Play includes the placing of wagers by the players, and the establishment of a bank by the player-dealer. Each player and the player-banker are dealt three playing tiles from which they select the highest ranking two tile hand. The player-banker then sequentially compares his/her hand with each of the player""s hands and pays or takes the wager depending upon whether the player""s hand is higher ranking than the player-banker""s hand. The game may be played with either 24 or 32 tiles.
The present invention is directed to a rotating bank game that uses a partial set of 30 Mahjong playing pieces. There is a house dealer (who represents the house or casino) and one to seven other outside players. The house dealer may be the banker for a round of play, or an outside player may be the banker. The players place a regular (conventional) wager and have the option of placing a separate side wager, known as a xe2x80x9cbonus wagerxe2x80x9d. The game is similar to playing Baccarat, with nine points being the highest, except for matching pairs, in which case zero is the highest. Each playing piece has a ranking determined by a numerical value marked on its face. The playing pieces are ranked from highest to lowest 0(zero), 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. The winner is the person with the highest ranking two playing pieces. A preferred name for the game of the present invention is San Tsai.
The house dealer starts the game by randomizing the playing pieces (washing for tiles, shuffling for cards, etc.). The playing pieces are then placed in ten groups containing three playing pieces each. Dice are then rolled to determine which group of playing pieces is dealt (distributed) first. The house dealer then hands the playing pieces out counterclockwise, beginning with the banker. Each player receives three playing pieces. The player keeps the two playing pieces that either: (1) pair up with a high ranking close or equal to nine, or (2) when added together total close or equal to nine (subtracting multiples of ten as in Baccarat). The unused third playing piece is discarded.
If both the player and the banker have the same numerically valued hand, then the hand with the highest ranking playing piece wins. If both the player and the banker have exactly the same hand (a push), then the banker wins.
The house collects 5% commission on winning wagers, except bonus wagers.
The present invention has the following useful features:
1. 30 playing pieces of ten types are used thereby resulting in:
a more symmetrical game (v. 24 or 32 playing pieces)
ten stacks of three playing pieces
three each of ten types of playing pieces is less confusing than games having odd non-numeric (character) playing piece types
only one type zero value playing piece is used
2. Banking method is more flexible:
player has option of banking or not
accommodates players who do not wish to play against their friends
allows the banker to take pushes thereby increasing winnings
3. Bonus Wager:
more exciting
allows large payoff for three of a kind
allows payoff for three playing pieces which sum to 9 or 19
allows payoff for two of a kind
4. Plays faster therefore making more money for the house
skilled fast dealer is always matching hands and making payoffs
no need to determine action player as in California games
no need for the banker to place a wager
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a method of playing a wagering game, comprises:
(a) providing a plurality of players one of which is a house dealer;
(b) providing a set of 30 playing playing pieces, the set including three playing pieces having a numerical value of one, three playing pieces having a numerical value of two, three playing pieces having a numerical value of three, three playing pieces having a numerical value of four, three playing pieces having a numerical value of five, three playing pieces having a numerical value of six, three playing pieces having a numerical value of seven, three playing pieces having a numerical value of eight, three playing pieces having a numerical value of nine, and three playing pieces having a numerical value of zero;
(c) selecting one of the players to be a banker who will play against the other players;
(d) each of the players except the selected banker placing a wager;
(e) the house dealer dealing a three playing piece hand to each of the players;
(f) each of the players setting his or her hand by selecting two of the three playing pieces to form a two playing piece hand and discarding the third playing piece;
(g) the ranking of the two selected playing pieces including from highest to lowest:
two zero value playing pieces;
two nine value playing pieces;
two eight value playing pieces;
two seven value playing pieces;
two six value playing pieces;
two five value playing pieces;
two four value playing pieces;
two three value playing pieces;
two two value playing pieces;
two one value playing pieces;
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of nine;
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of eight;
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of seven;
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of six;
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of five;
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of four; and,
two different value playing pieces which when summed result in a LSD of three;
(h) the banker sequentially comparing hands with each of the other players;
(i) in each step (h) comparison, the player having a highest ranking hand as defined in step (g) wins the wager of the other player; and,
(j) (1) if the house dealer is banker, a fixed percentage of each conventional wager won in step (i) goes to the house dealer, or (2) if an outside player is banker, a fixed percentage of the banker""s net winnings (excluding bonus wager winnings or losings) from step (i) goes to the house dealer.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, either the house dealer or an outside player may be the banker.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each player except the house dealer may optionally place a bonus wager, wherein a house bonus payoff is awarded for (1) three like playing pieces, (2) three playing pieces which sum to 9 or 19, and (3) two like playing pieces.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, in step (c) after each round of play wherein a player other than the house dealer was banker, the banker role being sequentially offered to each other player until one player accepts, else the house dealer becoming banker for a next round of play.